Justin Vickery works for Rietzel Landscaping and is keeping us connected to the Web

Kurt Laird of Lairds Tree Care is the instigator of this ride. Wouldn't have done it with him.

Bike Works of Saint John keeping my gears greased.

Stefan Warner teaches at Seaside School and is my go-to francophone when dealing with France

Of course Harold Wright, author and historian from Saint John, who has put me on this journey and provides much (needed) inspiration.

1000km memory ride – From Cardigan PEI to Vimy France in support of the Alzheimer Society

To promote:

The planting of trees through support from Landscape NB/PEI: National Tree Day is Weds Sept 26

Canadian veterans (and the legion and Remembrance Day - 100 anniversary of the end of the great war)

The Vimy Oak Legacy project and the final dedication of the Vimy Oak Park on the ridge in France.

Cycling and being outdoors in nature (this is a forever thing)

Awareness of Alzheimer’s in our life (Sept is World Alzheimer’s month and World Alzheimer’s day is Fri Sept 21) – All proceeds from donation to my ride to go to the Alzheimer’s Society. My family is covering all costs associated with the ride.

My goal is to raise 7k.

I begin Thurs, Sept 20 riding from Borden to Charlottetown and on to Cardigan Friday where we planted the first of the Vimy Oak Trees in April 2017. There will be a gathering at the legion there in the evening. On Saturday we move into Georgetown to plant a memorial tree in the town. Then back to Charlottetown with another event pending. Home on Monday to plant a few memorial trees including 2 at Seaside Elementary in East Saint John on Nat’l Tree Day.

Then on to Europe Sept 30 to cycle through Belgium, ending up at Vimy to see the completion of the Vimy Oak Centennial Park there and to plant a tree or two, including one for Ecole Sainte Terese in Vimy.Home Oct 11 with a thousand Kilometers behind me.

My Back Pages (tip of the hat to bob Dylan)

When my Mom Passed on a few years back I pulled down from the rafter in my garage the temporary wooden grave marker of my great uncle John Firman Ashe who was killed, along with his best friend at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1916. I donated it to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and made my way to France to be the first of his family to visit his grave. When I heard of the Vimy Oak restoration project i was compelled to get involved as a bit of an intermediary, helping those who wanted trees to plant in NB and PEI to access them. We planted 60 in 2017. Moments of my life I will treasure.

The sale of those trees in Canada are to cover costs of construction of the Centennial Park at Vimy Ridge, where the oaks will finally be repatriated 102 years later. After cycling 400km throughout eastern PEI and visiting some of those oaks, and planting a few more in late sept, I will fly to belguim where I will cycle another 600km visiting Ypres, Passchendaele and other Great war sites in Flanders, winding up in France at Vimy, planting an oak seedling from Canada is a small Elementary School. Please follow me on facebook and shoot me some encouraging words and if you are inclined, donate to the Alzheimer's Sociey by clicking the link above.